Scholarship Award Program

The School of Computer Information Systems awards several plaques and scholarships each year to recognize and honor the academic excellence of CIS majors. The names of the winning candidates will be determined by the School of Computer Information Systems Scholarship Committee from all who applied and are qualified, and forwarded to the UAM Scholarship Committee for final approval.

The Student awards include the Outstanding Senior of the Year, the Outstanding Junior of the Year, the Outstanding Rookie of the Year, the Endowed scholarships, the CIS General scholarship awards, and the Chi Iota Sigma Scholarship Stipends. The students for the awards are nominated based on the award criteria listed below. The students for the endowed scholarships and the general scholarships must complete a scholarship application and are nominated based on the scholarship criteria.

A faculty member is honored also each year who is selected by CIS Majors and Minors, according to the criteria listed below.

These awards are presented at an awards ceremony each Spring for the next academic year.

Chi Iota Sigma, The School's student organization awards CIS Club Scholarship Stipends each semester to selected members in good standing, according to the criteria listed below

The monetary value of scholarships may vary from year to year, depending on the annual yield of the endowed scholarships and the amount of the donations to the CIS general scholarship fund.

Award Criteria

Outstanding Senior of the Year

Outstanding Senior candidates must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher, must have completed at least 90 credit hours of course work toward their degree, must have completed at least 21 credit hours of CIS course work, and must be working toward their first baccalaureate degree.

The Outstanding Senior of the Year is awarded an engraved pen set or similar plaque, receives a certificate of achievement, and has her/his name engraved on the perpetual plaque that is displayed in the School spaces.

Outstanding Junior of the Year

Outstanding Junior candidates must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher, must have completed at least 60 credit hours of course work toward their degree, must have successfully completed either the CIS 3423 (COBOL) or the CIS 3443 (Object-Oriented Programming Languages) course, must be currently enrolled in CIS courses, and must have full-time status.

The Outstanding Junior of the Year receives a certificate of achievement, and has her/his name engraved on the perpetual plaque that is displayed in the School spaces.

Outstanding Rookie of the Year

Outstanding Rookie candidates must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher, must have completed CIS 2203 (Programming Logic and Design), must be enrolled currently in either the CIS 3423 (COBOL) or the CIS 3443 (Object-Oriented Programming Languages) course, and must have full-time status.

The Outstanding Rookie of the Year receives a certificate of achievement, and has her/his name engraved on the perpetual plaque that is displayed in the School spaces.

Endowed Scholarships

The School of CIS awards two endowed scholarships each academic year, the Don and Charlotte Hornaday award and the William and Katie Austin award. CIS endowed scholarship candidates must complete a scholarship request form, must have a GPA of 2.50 or higher, must be enrolled currently in CIS courses, and must have full-time status.

CIS Scholarship Awards

CIS scholarship candidates must not have been chosen for either of the endowed scholarship awards during this awards period, must complete a scholarship request form, must have a GPA of 2.50 or higher, must be enrolled currently in CIS courses or be an admitted incoming freshman majoring in CIS, and must have full-time status.

CIS scholarships are awarded contingent on the CIS General Scholarship funding.

Chi Iota Sigma Scholarship Stipends

The value (currently $100) and number of the Scholarship Stipends may vary from year to year, depending on the funds available from the Raymond O. and Loretta J. Roiger Chi Iota Sigma Scholarship endowment and on the donations to the Chi Iota Sigma general scholarship fund.

Any Chi Iota Sigma member in good standing is eligible to receive a book stipend if they meet the below criteria:

• Current paid membership
• Attend at least two of the four per semester organization meetings
• Maintain a 2.5 GPA
• At least one but not limited to One stipend goes to an eligible organization officer.

Members who are eligible for the stipend must complete a UAM scholarship application and turn it in during the announced application period each semester.

The winning students names are announced during the annual Christmas party meeting in the fall and the officer election meeting in the spring.